Patience

Yet again Ingrid teaches us that nothing comes easily in the NICU.

She seemed to tolerate her feedings yesterday, but last night was a different story. She spit up some and some just sat in her stomach. She also had some blood in her stomach and in her stool so she was put on Zantac to soothe her digestive system.

We are eager to get her eating full meals so we can take her home but Ingrid keeps telling us that she has to go at her own pace. Her doctor assured us that no baby in her position tolerates their feeding the first time.

After a 12 hour break we tried feeding her again and she seemed to do well. The doctors decided not to giver her anything by mouth because she is breathing too quickly, afraid that she couldn't coordinate the breathing and swallowing fast enough. So, her noon feeding was sent directly to her stomach and was not there at 3 pm. (Her nurse sucks out the contents of her stomach before feeding to see what's there. It looks harsh but she doesn't seem to mind.) Prior to her 3 pm feeding there was virtually nothing there which means she was digesting her noon milk.

Both Mommy & Daddy held Ingrid for several hours today but she got a little fussy this afternoon. Now that she is off morphine she is very alert when she is awake and she is awake for longer periods of time. We make faces at each other and sing and play with toys - regular baby stuff!

Edit: Meanwhile back at home Anna is having a great time with Grandma and Grandpa!